Mineral-concentrator.



C. 0. MIGHAELSEN.

MINERAL GONOENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1912 1,12 1 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

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lllll I THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHaTo-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c,

G. MIGHAELSEN.

MINERAL CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1912.

1,126,81 8. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Char/es Ml C IGESGHEMMO'Q THE Noma: PETERS (20., PHOTC'LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNKTED STATES PATEN '1 OFFICE.

CHARLES 0. MICHAELSEN, F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

ldlNERAL-CONCENTRATOR.

wa ers.

Application filed September 28, 1912.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. MICHAEL- sex, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mineral-Concentrators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mineral concentrators or machines for separating the heavier and more valuable parts of granular, crushed or pulverized ores from the lighter parts thereof.

It is the object of my invention to provide a machine for this purpose which may be operated with but little power and in which the separating or concentrating operation may be carried on continuously, so that large quantities of the material may be handled economically.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of a machine embodying my invention, portions being in section, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the axis of the driving shaft, Fig. 8 is a de tail side view of the driving mechanism for the oscillating pan, Fig. i is a detail vertical sectional view of the same, Fig. is a detail horizontal section of the crank-pinion on the line rcw of Fi g. 4, and Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section on the plane of the line y of Fig. i.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide a cylindrical casing 1 having a flat removable cover-plate 2 and a conical or funnelshaped bottom portion 3. The casing is preferably supported upon legs 4: which in turn rest upon a circular base-ring 5. On the cover 2 are secured bearings 6 for the horizontal driving shaft 7. On said shaft, outside the bearings, are mounted fly-wheels 8, and at one end are tight and loose pulleys 9 and 10 which may be connected by belt with a suitable source of power. On the central part of the drive-shaft is secured a bevel gear 11 which meshes with a similar gear 12, said gear being supported by a ball-bearing 13 arranged at the central part of the cover 2 on a removable plate 14 which has :1 depending intern-ally-threaded nipple. 15 on the lm side thereof. A tubular shaft 16 has its upper end connected with the gear 12, as shown, and below the gear has a frusto-conical portion 17 fitting revolubly within a bearing 18 which is screwed into the threaded nipple 15. of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Serial No. 722,983.

bearing-plate 14-. Secured to the lower end of the shaft 16 and vertically alined therewith is the funnel-body 19 which has a number of ports 20 ti'irough the sides of the upper part tliereof. The lower partof the funnel-body tits revolubly around a stationary nipple 21, of which the upper end extends up into an annular recess between the outer and inner portions of the funnel-body, the inner part of the funnel-body-extending down within the nipple, as clearly shown in Fig. The nipple 21 is secured to the water-chamber and valve-chamber casing 22, said casing being secured to the conical bottom 3 of the main casing, an annular chamber 23 being formed between them, as shown. Into the lower end of the nipple 21 is screwed the wastepipe 2st which extends downwardly through the valve-chamber 25, and has a. suitable discharge-pipe 26 connected with the lower end thereof, as shown.

Within the main casing 1 is disposed an oscillating pan having a conical or funnelshaped bottom portion 27 extending concentrically with the casing-bottom 3 but in spaced. relation thereto, and having a central circular opening of which the edges are adjacent to the lower end of the funnel-body 19 so as to form a narrow annular aperture between them. The upper and outer part of the pan-bottom 27 is continuous with a cylindrical body-portion 28 concentric with the casing 1 but in spaced relation thereto. The upper part of the cylindrical body 28 has a neck-portion 29, around which at the upper edge thereof is a ring 30 which rests upon rollers 31 revolubly mounted on brackets 32 secured on the inner side of the casing 1. The weight of the pan and its contents is thus supported entirely upon the said rollers, so that it may be moved freely about an axis concentric with the main casing and extending vertically. The pan is given an oscillating or alternating rotary movement by the following means: On the driving-shaft 7 adjoining one of the bearings 6 is secured a gear which meshes with and drives a pinion 3-1 mounted on a stud 35 at the side of the casing 1. On the outer side of said pinion is secured a block 36 having a longitudinal T-slot therein, in the inner part of which is slidably disposed a nut 37. A shouldered screw 38 passes through the stem-portion of the T-slot and into the nut, and the screw may be tightened up at varying positions relative to the slot, 7

so as to form a variable crank-pin on the side of the pinion. The outer portion of the screw 38 passes revolubly through a block 39 which is slidably disposed in a longitudinally extending slot in a crank-arm 40. Said crank-arm is pivotally mounted on'a stud 41 on the side of the casing l, and is formed integrally with a shorter depending arm 42. Said arm 42 has a short longitudinal slot therein in which is slidably disposed a block 43. A stem 44 passes slidably and revolubly through the block 43, and the inner end of the stem is pivotally connected with a stud 45 which is secured in the side of the body portion 28 of the oscillating pan. In the outer end of the stem 44 is a screw 46 having a large recessed or cup-shaped head which surrounds the outer end portion of the stein and incloses a small coil spring 47 which is disposed around said portion of the stem, and of which the inner end engages the outer face of the sliding block 43. The said spring permits a slight longitudinal movement of the stem 44 through the block to accommodate the variation between the plane of movement of the arm 42 and the circular arc in which the stud 45 and stem 44 must move during the rotative movement of the pan.

A suitable opening is made through the casing 1, as shown, to permit the necessary movement of the parts in oscillating the an. The amount of rotative movement imparted to the pan may, of course, be varied by varying the position of the crank-pin screw 38 relative to pinion 34.

l/Vithin the oscillating pan is disposed a conical distributer 48 which is provided at its upper part with a flange-ring 49 into which are passed the lower parts of screws 50 which extend through the cover-plate 2 and support the distributer. The height of the distributer may be adjusted by means of said screws 50 so as to vary the width of the annular opening between the lower edge of the distributer and the inclined bottom 27 of the oscillating pan.

The ore or mineral to be operated upon by the machine is fed into the same, together with a suitable quantity of water, through a feedchute 51 which extends through the side of the casing 1 and passes through an opening in the side of the oscillating pan, as shown in Fig. 1. The material falls upon the inclined outer surface of the distrubuter and passes around spirally in both directions from the point of contact therewith so that on reaching the annular opening at the bottom the material is spread comparatively evenly around the entire lower edge of the distributer, and around the outer edge of the pan-bottom v27. The materials pass in toward the central part of the pan and fill the same to the level of the lower edge of the ports 20 which are slightly above the lower edge of the distributer, or at approximately the same level as the outer edge of the pan-bottom. In passing in over the pan-bottom the materials are gently agitated by means of curved arms 52 which are secured to the funnel-body and rotate adjacent to the pan-bottom, being actuated by the shaft 16. The lighter portions of the material thus tend to be kept suspended in the water and to flow therewith through the ports 20 into the funnel-body, thence passing down andbeing discharged through the waste-pipe 24. The heavier materials remain near the pan-bottom and upon reaching the lowest part thereof pass through the annular aperture between the edges thereof and the funnelbody, and on through the adjoining opening between the funnel-body and the inner lip of the casing-bottom 3, into the water-chamber 23. lVater is supplied to said chamber 23 through a pipe 53 connecting with a tank 54, the flow being controlled by a cock 55. The rate of flow of the water supplied to the chamber is so adjusted that there will be a gentle upward flow from the chamber through the annular aperture around the funnel-body into the main chamber within the oscillating pan, and the said upward water current effects the final separation of the ore from the gangue. The ore portions which pass into the water-chamber descend through ports 56 into the valve-chamber 25 from which they are intermittently released by the means hereinafter described. Water is supplied to the valve-chamber 25 from the tank 54 through a pipe 57, the fiow being controlled by a cock 58. The lower side of the valve-chamber is formed by a removable valve-seat plate 59. The valve 60 is disposed around the waste-pipe 24, being vertically slidable thereon, and is normally held in engagement with the seat by means of a spring 61. The spring is inclosed by a tube 62 of flexible material such as rubher. The structure of the valve and the means for intermittently actuating the same are similar to the valve and actuating means shown in Letters Patent No. 1,027,349, issued to me May 21, 1912. Below the valveseat plate 59 is a plate 63 having fingers 64 thereon which extend up around the pipe 24 so as to be engageable with the valve. The plate 63 is connected with rods 65 which are vertically slidable in guideways formed on the sides of the casing 22. The forked end of a lever 66 is connected with the rods 65, the lever being fulcrumed on a bearing carried by a cross-bar 67. The outer end of the lever extends through one of the legs 4 and a pointer 68 is secured to the lever and works adjacent to a scale 69 secured to the leg, so that the movement of the lever may be gaged by comparing the scale and pointer. The lever is actuatedby means of a variable-throw eccentric secured on the driving-shaft 7, the eccentric being connected with the outer end of the lever by means of a rod 71 having at the central part thereof a turnbuckle 72 by which its length may be varied.

Referring again to the operation of the machine, it ill be noted that the separation of the heavier from the lighter materials is continuous in its action. The materials enter the chute 51 continuously, are distributed evenly around the outer edge of the oscillating pan and pass inwardly over the bottom thereof in a thin continuous sheet. During the passage the movement of the heavier material which remainsclose to the bottom of the pan is facilitated by the oscillating movement of the pan. The lighter portions of the material are so agitated by the movement of the pan and by the rotating arms 52 as to be held in suspension by the water and to overflow therewith continuously through the ports 20 ot' the funnel-body. T he heavy materials pass continuously into the water-chamber and on down into the valve-chamber 25, a final separating action being exerted by the streams of water admitted continuously to said chambers through the pipes 53 and 57. The material which accumulates in the valve-chamber is discharged at intervals such that no considerable quantity of ore will be in said chamber at any one time. The water which passes out through the valve with the ore is all supplied through the pipe 57 so that the continuous upward flow of water from the chamber 23 through the annular aperture around the lower edge of the funnelbody is not disturbed by the opening of the valve. Finally the concentrates which are discharged from the valve-chamber are received in the inclined pan or dischargechute 73 which is adj ustably secured to and supported upon the waste-pipe 24 below the valve-chamber casing. By the various adjustments such as that of the valve-opening, the water supply to the valve-chamber and water-chamber, the amount of oscillatory movement of the pan, and the width of opening between the lower edge of the distributer and the pan-bottom, the machine may be adapted to operate upon diverse materials and under the most arying conditions.

Now, ha ing described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure my Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a circular pan having a funnel-shaped bottom and an annular opening through the lower central part of said bottom, of means for distributing materials around the outer portion of said bottom, means for oscillating the pan about a vertical axis, means forming a waste-discharge passage opening at the center of the pan and at a level approximately the same as the outer portion of the panbottom, a fixed casing inclosing the pan and spaced therefrom, said casing having a chamber therein below the pan for receiving the materials which pass through the annular opening of the pan, and means for supplying water to said chamber so as to maintain an upward current trim the receiving chamber through the annular opening into the pan.

2. The combination with an oscillating pan having a conical centrally-depressed bottom portion, of a casing within which the pan is supported so as to oscillate about a vertical axis, variable actuating means for moving the pan, means for feeding materials uniformly around the outer portion of the pan, the pan having an opening through the central portion of the bottom thereof, waste-discharge means extending through said opening and adapted to receive materials at a point elevated above the pan bottom, there being an annular opening through the pan-bottom around the wastedischarge means, means for supplying water between the casing and pan to cause an upward flow of water through the annular opening, the casing forming a chamber to receive materials passing downwardly through said annular opening, and means for discharging intermittently the materials in said chamber.

3. In a machine of the class described, a fixed casing, a pan having a centrally-depressed conical bottom, rollers supporting said pan within the casing, a driving shaft, actuating means connecting the shaft and the pan so as to oscillate the pan about a vertical axis, means for adjusting the actuating connecting means to vary the amount of oscillatory movement of the pan, means for distributing' materials around the outer portion of the pan-bottom, means forming a waste-discharge outlet from the central part of the pan at a level substantially the same as that at which the materials are distributed thereon, means forming an outlet for materials from the lowest part of the pan bottom, and means for supplying water between the casing and pan to cause an up ward water current through the lower material outlet into the pan.

4. In a machine of the class described, a fixed casing. a pan supported therein so as to be oscillatable on a vertical axis, means for oscillating the pan. the pan having a conical bottom with a circular central opening at the lowest part thereof, a tubular member connected with the casing and extending through said opening and spaced from the inner edges of the pan-bottom so as to form an annular aperture between them, and means secured to the casing for receiving materials passing through said annular aperture, the tubular member having ports opening into the pan at a level considerably above the annular aperture.

5. In a machine of the class described, a fixed casing, a pan supported therein so as to be oscillatable on a vertical axis, means for oscillating the pan, the'pan having a conical bottom with a circular central opening at the loWestpart thereof, a tubular member connected With the casing and extending through said opening and spaced from the inner edges of the pan-bottom so as to form an annular aperturebetween them, means secured to the casing and forming a chamber to receive materials descending through the annular aperture, the tubular member having ports opening into the pan at a level about the same as that of the outer *portion of the pan-bottom, a conical member disposed Within the pan and having its lower outer edge in proximity to the outer portion of the pan-bottom, and means for feeding materials onto the conical member, whereby the materials may pass between the edge of the conical member and the outer portion of the pan-bottom and from the outer to the inner part of the pan along the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

a CHARLESO. MICHAELSEN.

Witnesses:

D. O. BARNELL, M. S. lVALKEn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 7 

